In Nevada’s Recession Apex, Cash Woes Abound

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NORTH LASVEGAS, Nev. (AP) — The alarming billboards appeared overnight on the street corners and empty lots of North LasVegas, the hardest recession-hit city in the hardest-hit state in the nation.

“Warning: Due to recent police layoffs, we can no longer guarantee your safety!”

Once the country’s fastest-growing city, the middle-class haven of 220,000 outside LasVegas is now teetering on the brink of insolvency. The state is threatening to take over the city and desperate officials are even considering selling the brand new city hall.

The billboards came down after a court blocked the layoffs, but the problems remain in the state’s fourth-largest city. Property values have plummeted. After spending more than it earned for four consecutive years, the city will not be able to make payroll come October, state auditors said.